The Maserati Marriott Italian Experience

Riley’s roving Automotive Editor TMA Howe shares news of two exciting Italian vacation experiences being hosted by Maserati & Marriott

Back in the early 20th century, five brothers – Alfieri, Bindo, Carlo, Ettore and Ernesto – founded the Maserati marque. As with so many other Italian car manufacturers of that era, Maserati started out making racing cars… and good ones at that, with Alfieri winning the 1926 Targa Florio in one of the very first Maseratis.

The now famous trident that adorns the front of the company’s range of luxury cars was first used as the Maserati logo back in 1920, a fitting symbol as Neptune was known to represent strength and vigour. Additionally, a statue of Neptune was also a symbol associated with the company’s original home city of Bologna.

After many successful years of racing, Maserati turned its attention to building road going grand tourers. Over the next 50 years the company created many gorgeous machines, including the 3500GT, the original Quattroporte, the Bora (my favourite and one I’ve been dreaming of owning since a small child!), the BiTurbo, right on down to the current models – the Quattroporte flagship (GranLusso and GranSport versions), the Ghibli executive sports sedan, the GranTurismo and GranCabrio sports cars and the Levante, the first Maserati SUV.

The Maserati Marriott Summer Experience

Now, Maserati has teamed up with the Marriot Costa Smeralda hotels in order to expand on its luxury lifestyle branding. As a result of the partnership, guests at the hotel company’s Cala di Volpe, Romazzino, Pitrizza and Cervoproperties – all of them located in one of Sardinia‘s most picturesque areas – can now add a little fun to their stays with a test drive of one of Maserati’s cars. Billed as the Maserati Marriott Summer Experience, guests of the four participating Costa Smeralda hotels get the unique opportunity to get to know and road test the Ghibli, the Quattroporte and the Levante.

To further whet your appetite for what promises to to be one memorable vacation, here’s a little more detail of the hotels themselves:

• Cala di Volpe – Overlooking the bay of the same name and built in the style of a traditional fishing village, the hotel is considered part of one of the Mediterranean’s most enchanting scenes (Riley Recommends: For reviews, rates, and reservations, check out our preferred accommodation partner at Cala di Volpe)
• Hotel Romazzino – Costa Smeralda’s most iconic seaside holiday resort, this magnificent hotel with its dazzling whitewashed exterior, pleasing curved lines and arched windows looks out over the impressive turquoise-blue bay, accessible (along with its beach) through the hotel’s expansive flower gardens (Riley Recommends: For reviews, rates, and reservations, check out our preferred accommodation partner at Hotel Romazzino)
• Hotel Pitrizza – One of the world’s most exclusive hotels, this tranquil resort consists of a group of villas with a wonderful private beach, as well as a sea-water pool carved into the wind-sculpted rocks and boasting outstanding views over the bay (Riley Recommends: For reviews, rates, and reservations, check out our preferred accommodation partner at Hotel Pitrizza)
• Cervo Hotel – Situated in the heart of Porto Cervo, the hotel overlooks the village’s central square and is just a short walk from boutique shops and the marina with its luxury yachts (there’s also a private beach, accessible by shuttle service) (Riley Recommends: For reviews, rates, and reservations, check out our preferred accommodation partner at Cervo Hotel)

The Maserati Marriott Winter Experience Tour

For those looking for a memorable winter driving experience, the Maserati Marriott Winter Tour could be just the ticket. The program kicked off with the outstanding Welcome Winter event organized by Courmayeur Mont Blanc, while at the same time, in the Italian South Tyrol ski resort of Ortisei, the Maserati Levante took centre stage in the Maserati Winter Lounge.

Enthusiasts and customers of Maserati will be able to view the company’s current range including the flagship Quattroporte, the updated Ghibli in GranLusso and GranSport trims, together with the brilliant Levante, the ideal vehicle for the winter roads around Italy and Switzerland with its highly advanced four-wheel drive system.

In addition to the resort of Ortisei and Courmayeur in Italy, the Maserati Winter Tour will visit the wonderful resorts of Gstaad and St Moritz in Switzerland.

In addition to the models on The Winter Tour, the range includes the legendary GranTurismo and GranCabrio sports cars, as well as a mix of petrol and diesel engines and rear or all-wheel drive options.

To learn more about Maserati’s tradition of successful cars, each of them redefining what makes an Italian sports car in terms of design, performance, comfort, elegance and safety, visit their website at https://www.maserati.com/maserati/international/en

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TMA Howe is Riley’s Automotive Editor.